Large ocean going ships have a need to off-load cargo to smaller lightering crafts when large ocean going ships cannot dock in a port. In high seas, such as gale force winds, the lightering crafts cannot safely receive cargo from the ocean going supply ships; and therefore, off-loading is halted until sea conditions improve. In addition, the subsequent movement of the ships and crafts due to wave motions can create dangerous conditions for operations using lifting cranes. Accordingly, waiting for calm sea conditions in order to resume crane and cargo off-loading operations can be costly and time-consuming.
Thus, a need exists for a vessel and method for providing stabilization of a lightering craft that can greatly suppress the motions of the lightering craft, as well as maintain heading and position of the lightering craft to enable safer operations between the craft and a larger supply ship.
The present embodiments of the invention address these needs.